This market will cater to over 20,000 farmers by providing them safe place to do their business and consumers of over 30 villages and urban areas around this district headquarter.
Global CEO J Erik Fyrwald on Thursday said Syngenta is all geared up to celebrate India’s march to Amrit Kaal and its emergence as the world’s 5th largest economy. Fyrwald termed India’s rapid march on the path of progress as inspirational and transformational and said that this has strengthened Syngenta’s resolve to continue to invest itself in the future of the country’s agriculture. On a 3-day visit to India, Fyrwald was speaking after dedicating one of the country’s biggest rural wayside markets in Wanaparthy district, Telangana, build under Syngenta’s flagship CSR I-CLEAN (Inculcating Cleanliness, Learning, Education, Awareness and New Habits) program. Apart from Telangana, 24 such I-CLEAN projects are running in Bihar (18), Uttar Pradesh (02), Karnataka (04) catering to the needs of rural farmers.
Spread over 51020 sq feet, this state-of-art market is built at a cost of Rs 3.3 crore in Wanaparthy and will be handed over to the Agriculture Marketing Board for operation and maintenance. This market will cater to over 20,000 farmers by providing them safe place to do their business and consumers of over 30 villages and urban areas around this district headquarter.
“Present in the country for 94 years now, India has always been at the core of our focus for its sheer size, diversity and potential – 40% of workforce in the country is employed in agriculture. We have consistently worked on addressing challenges facing Indian agriculture. Accordingly, our R&D has been geared to providing technology to the farming community for enhancing productivity and also reducing input costs for better returns on investment. We invest and innovate to transform the way crops are grown and protected to bring about positive, lasting change in agriculture. Our ambition is to be the most collaborative and trusted team in agriculture, providing leading seeds and crop protection innovations and digital solutions to enhance the prosperity of farmers, wherever they are,” Fyrwald added.
Susheel Kumar, MD & Country Head, Syngenta India said, “The I-CLEAN project has been a remarkable success. We are glad to be able to contribute to the rural prosperity of Telangana, which has one of the highest rates of agriculture growth at 7.8 per cent. With a slew of impressive programs including Rythu Bandhu Scheme, Mission Bhagiratha and Drone Certification, the state has made rapid strides and it gives us joy to become partners in this journey.”
Syngenta’s I-CLEAN program has brought about significant transformation. According to a social-economic impact assessment, the income of farmers who sell their produce at I-CLEAN markets have gone up by 49% as they are able to spend more time in markets; the improved infrastructure sees increased daily footfall. The facilities like safe drinking water, solar lights and toilets have improved the livelihood opportunities of local farming communities by about 40%.
Dr KC Ravi, Chief Sustainability Officer, Syngenta India, said, “This state-of-art wayside market is equipped with modern amenities including approach roads from the highway, 78 raised platforms, sheds, lights, parking facility, safe drinking water, toilet blocks for men and women, water harvesting, lush green frontage, waste disposal, and children playing area.”
